BARELY five years after residents of Kpanvo, a suburb of Tamale, established a community health centre with the aim of complementing the government’s efforts at increasing access to health care, the management of the facility has run into difficulties.
Currently the facility has neither electricity nor drugs to ensure efficient health care service.
Besides, bats have invaded the centre while the few staff at post do not have the needed logistics to work with.
The centre has a solar panel which can only power a radio set.
During a visit to the facility by the Daily Graphic, it was realised that outpatients’ attendance over the five-year period had dropped significantly. Records showed, for instance, that from July to December, 2004, the centre treated 637 patients with all forms of ailments as against 11 between January and May 15, this year.
The reporter also gathered that the centre was only active in rendering such services as child welfare and antenatal programmes.
Investigations further revealed that a seven-member committee was put in place to manage the affairs of the centre after its inauguration in July 2004.
When contacted on the issue, a member of the committee, Duli-Lana Ibrahim Yussif, indicated that the facility could no longer generate enough funds to meet the increasing demands of clients.
Duli-Lana, who is also an assembly member of the Kakpagyili Electoral Area and Chairman of Social Services of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TAMA), however, acknowledged the deplorable situation under which the few staff at the centre worked.
The Duli-Lana, Yussif, further entreated the assembly and the Metropolitan Directorate of Health Services to support the community in its bid to revive the centre.
He appealed for the provision of a midwife although he acknowledged that there was a midwife who allegedly left the place without informing the committee members.
A security officer at the centre who pleaded anonymity complained that he had not been paid for the past five years although he had the desire to contribute to the growth of the centre.
The Tamale Metropolitan Director of Health Services, Dr John Abenyeri, and the Head of the Builpela sub-metro, Madam Vida Vouche, said a midwife was provided for the centre since its establishment in 2004.
They, however, explained that the first midwife, Madam Cecilia Agbeko, was later replaced by Ms Ayi Alhassan upon request by the committee members.
According to them, Madama Alhassan, was at post until recently when she started facing some health challenges.
During a visit to the centre two weeks ago, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Alhaji Abdulai Haruna Friday, observed that the deplorable situation at the centre was hampering efficient healthcare, particularly for expectant mothers.
The facility was established by Dr Abdulai Sando Alhassan, the Kpanvo-Naa, who is now resident in Germany. A seed capital of GH¢1,000 was mobilised during its inauguration to help run the facility smoothly.
The former Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, inaugurated the centre which is equipped with nurses quarters, nurses room, a theatre, laboratory, dispensary and an intensive care unit.
Kpanvo is a farming community with a population of two thousand and it is envisaged that the health centre if managed effectively, would be expanded and upgraded to a hospital status to serve the needs of the community and its environs.
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